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We're back with fantasy hockey coverage at RotoBaller. Just like last year, over the course of the 2019-2020 NHL season, we'll be providing weekly updates to our fantasy hockey rankings - listing each player in terms of his rest-of-season value. Today we'll look at netminders.
Below you can find the inaugural version of our fantasy hockey goalie draft rankings - our preseason top 30 goaltenders. The rankings are the result of a collective effort from RotoBaller staff writers Chase Davis, Scott Cullen and Chris Wassel.
Note: Rankings are determined considering a standard Yahoo league format (wins, goals against average, save percentage, and shutouts for goalies). Value is based on factors such as past production, future NHL potential, age, stat projections, line/defensive pair combinations, quality of a player's team and contract status.
Top 30 Goalies - Preseason Draft Rankings
| Rank | Player Name | Position | Team | Chase | Scott | Chris | Consensus |
| 1 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | G | TB | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8.7 |
| 2 | Sergei Bobrovsky | G | FLA | 33 | 19 | 29 | 27.0 |
| 3 | Frederik Andersen | G | TOR | 29 | 50 | 23 | 34.0 |
| 4 | Ben Bishop | G | DAL | 22 | 65 | 22 | 36.3 |
| 5 | Pekka Rinne | G | NSH | 38 | 39 | 44 | 40.3 |
| 6 | Marc-Andre Fleury | G | VGK | 36 | 68 | 36 | 46.7 |
| 7 | Tuukka Rask | G | BOS | 44 | 64 | 38 | 48.7 |
| 8 | Carey Price | G | MTL | 51 | 52 | 51 | 51.3 |
| 9 | Braden Holtby | G | WSH | 59 | 69 | 59 | 62.3 |
| 10 | Jordan Binnington | G | STL | 64 | 59 | 64 | 62.3 |
| 11 | John Gibson | G | ANA | 56 | 95 | 56 | 69.0 |
| 12 | Philipp Grubauer | G | COL | 81 | 82 | 74 | 79.0 |
| 13 | Devan Dubnyk | G | MIN | 95 | 63 | 95 | 84.3 |
| 14 | Matt Murray | G | PIT | 74 | 100 | 81 | 85.0 |
| 15 | Connor Hellebuyck | G | WPG | 92 | 73 | 97 | 87.3 |
| 16 | Martin Jones | G | SJ | 89 | 91 | 89 | 89.7 |
| 17 | Carter Hart | G | PHI | 85 | 101 | 85 | 90.3 |
| 18 | Antti Raanta | G | ARI | 132 | 126 | 132 | 130.0 |
| 19 | Petr Mrazek | G | CAR | 137 | 156 | 137 | 143.3 |
| 20 | David Rittich | G | CGY | 127 | 177 | 127 | 143.7 |
| 21 | Henrik Lundqvist | G | NYR | 129 | 176 | 129 | 144.7 |
| 22 | Robin Lehner | G | CHI | 177 | 113 | 177 | 155.7 |
| 23 | Corey Crawford | G | CHI | 145 | 189 | 145 | 159.7 |
| 24 | Jacob Markstrom | G | VAN | 147 | 188 | 147 | 160.7 |
| 25 | Darcy Kuemper | G | ARI | 159 | 206 | 159 | 174.7 |
| 26 | Mackenzie Blackwood | G | FA | 190 | 146 | 190 | 175.3 |
| 27 | Semyon Varlamov | G | NYI | 119 | 308 | 119 | 182.0 |
| 28 | Thomas Greiss | G | NYI | 180 | 218 | 180 | 192.7 |
| 29 | Jimmy Howard | G | DET | 186 | 228 | 186 | 200.0 |
| 30 | Jonathan Quick | G | LA | 195 | 251 | 195 | 213.7 |
Fantasy Hockey Goalies - Rankings Analysis
Finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting last season, Ben Bishop checks in at #4 in our preseason goaltender rankings. Benefiting from a new, ultra-defensive system under first-year Stars head coach Jim Montgomery, the hulking netminder is fresh off a season in which he established career-bests in goals-against average (1.98), save-percentage (.934) and shutouts (seven) in 46 starts. In fact, Bishop likely would have taken home the Vezina if not being hindered starts - a product of suffering multiple injuries over the course of the campaign. With his lanky frame, Bishop has proven to be quite injury prone and that prevents him in ranking higher on our list. With a capable backup in Dallas as Anton Khudobin, fantasy owners would be wise to pencil him in 47-52 starts, which combined with elite ratios, should still place him the in the top-five of all goaltenders in 2019-2020.
Braden Holtby is still considered a top-ten backstopper despite posting one of the worst statistical seasons of his career in 2018-2019 (2.82 GAA, .911 SVP). Having played deep into the summer en route to hoisting his first Stanley Cup last summer, the 30-year-old struggled out of the gates but managed to find his game to the tune of a 15 wins, 2.42 GAA and .920 SVP in 24 contests post All-Star Break. He then maintained his high level of play throughout the first round of the playoffs before Washington eventually faltered in seven games.
Entering the final year of his current five-year deal that pays him just $6.1 million per season, Holtby will be looking to further elevate his value and establish himself as one of the highest paid netminders in hockey. Holtby has a lot to prove in 2019-2020 and should serve as a strong source for wins and above-average ratios for fantasy owners.
Labeled as one of the top goalie prospects since Marc-Andre Fleury, Carter Hart was surprisingly handed over the keys to the Flyer's starting role as a first-year professional in 2018-2019. At just 21-years-old, Hart went out and proved that the Flyers made the right call - posting 16 wins, a 2.83 GAA and a .917 SVP in 30 starts to close out the year. At such a young age, the 2017-2018 Canadian Junior Goalie of the Year seems to carry an underlying sense of calamity and poise in his game.
Combined his elite talent level and strong fundamentals, Hart could elevate himself up our list as he gets more NHL experience under his belt. It would be foolish to draft the Alberta native without expecting him to experience some growing pains - as he continues to transition to his new role - but his sky-high ceiling makes him easily worth his #16 spot on the rankings.
It might seem odd to see a Vezina candidate ranked so low on the list at #21 as is the case with Robin Lehner. Departing from Barry Trotz' tight defensive system on Long Island to a high-flying, offensive style ran by Jeremy Colliton in Chicago, Lehner will have a bit of an adjustment to make in his first season in a Blackhawks uniform. In fact, Lehner will be joining a team ranked 30th in both goals-against-per-game (3.55) and shots-allowed-per-game (34.8), a stark difference from playing behind an Islanders team that ranked first and 12th in each respective category last season.
In addition to the environment change, the 28-year-old will likely be splitting starts with two-time Stanley Cup Champion Corey Crawford - something that limits his win potential. Lehner's career-season (2.27 GAA, .930 SVP) last year showcases his tremendous upside but should he should be considered as a risky selection at the back end of drafts.
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